Universities and Student Civic Activism: Engagement and Digital Participation Mechanisms

Abstract

This article delves into the role of the university environment in shaping the civic activism of student youth. The topicality of the research theme is linked to the increasing significance of the third mission of universities, as well as the expansion of student involvement in civic practices amidst the digitization of population-government interaction technologies. It is proposed to distinguish between a broad context of analyzing student civic activity, without considering the university environment, and a narrow one, linking student activity to intra-university factors. The article is based on the results of a survey of student youth in Yekaterinburg in September 2023 (n = 531), supplemented by data from a survey of students from secondary vocational educational institutions (n= 673). The survey results allowed for determining the level of students’ interest in events in various spheres of Russian society and the region, identifying civic digital practices in which they participate, and assessing the effectiveness of digital forms of interaction with authorities. The research novelty lies in examining the contemporary university educational environment from the perspective of its influence on student civic activism and constructing a typology of students based on their involvement in discussing socio-political events in the university environment: with teachers and peers. The study revealed students’ ambivalent attitude towards discussing socio-political topics at the university and the projective idea of placing a direct appeal service to local authorities on the university website. The practical significance of the research lies in the possibility of using its results to develop university strategies for shaping students’ civic stance and initial experience of demonstrating civic initiatives in student projects, as well as in defining new models of university participation in digital communication between students and government structures.